Intelligent energy-efficiency coach

Abstract

Systems and methods of providing intelligent energy-efficiency performance coaching. Energy efficiency performance is measured by a performance score calculated in association with various efficiency metrics. The performance score may be provided as feedback to the operator and may further be used by an operator reward system and/or gamification system. An intelligent energy-efficiency coach responds to variability in operator behaviors by using tunable variables to bias weighting constants assigned to the efficiency metrics to normalize calculations of performance scores. The intelligent energy-efficiency coach may use reinforcement machine learning techniques to calculate tunable variables and adjust performance scores on an ad hoc basis. A mutual learning process may be performed, where the operator may learn energy saving behaviors from feedback provided by the intelligent energy-efficiency coach to improve energy efficiency and the intelligent energy-efficiency coach adjusts tunable variables to help the operator improve their energy efficiency performance.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for providing energy-efficiency coaching, comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   a memory including instructions, which when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving operator behavior data corresponding to operator behaviors performed throughout a drive cycle of a vehicle that impact the vehicle's energy efficiency; 
 evaluating the operator behavior data at a first interval of the drive cycle based on a set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by an operator of the vehicle; 
 calculating a first set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the first interval based on identified behaviors of interest; 
 determining a first set of tunable variables for the set of efficiency metrics; 
 applying the first set of tunable variables and a set of weighting constants to the first set of metric sub-scores to generate a first set of weighted metric sub-scores for the first interval; 
 calculating a first performance score for the first interval based on the first set of weighted metric sub-scores; and 
 providing a first set of feedback based on the first performance score for the first interval. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein determining the first set of tunable variables comprises:
 receiving additional data comprising at least one of:
 vehicle specification data; or 
 environmental data; 
   evaluating the specification data or environmental data for features of interest; and   calculating each tunable variable in the first set of tunable variables based on identified features of interest.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 evaluating the operator behavior data at a second interval of the drive cycle based on the set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by the operator of the vehicle in response to providing the first set of feedback;   calculating a second set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the second interval based on identified behaviors of interest;   comparing the second set of metric sub-scores to the first set of metric sub-scores; and   adjusting one or more tunable variables in the first set of tunable variables based on the comparison to generate a second set of tunable variables.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 applying the second set of tunable variables and the set of weighting constants to the second set of metric sub-scores to generate a second set of weighted metric sub-scores for the second interval;   calculating a second performance score for the second interval based on the second set of weighted metric sub-scores; and   providing a second set of feedback based on the second performance score for the second interval.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 calculating a normalized drive-cycle performance score for the drive cycle based on the first performance score and the second performance score; and   providing the normalized drive-cycle performance score in a second set of feedback.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising providing the normalized drive-cycle performance score to an operator reward system. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 calculating, for each efficiency metric in the set of efficiency metrics, a cumulative metric sub-score based on an average of the first set of metric sub-scores and the second set of metric sub-scores; and   providing the cumulative metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics in a third set of feedback.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising including one or more recommendations to the operator in the third set of feedback. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising providing instantaneous feedback to the operator corresponding to identified behaviors of interest performed by the operator. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instantaneous feedback indicates a positive or negative impact of the identified behaviors of interest on the vehicle's energy efficiency. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the instantaneous feedback is displayed in association with one or more efficiency metrics in the set of efficiency metrics. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of efficiency metrics comprises at least one of:
 an acceleration efficiency metric;   a braking efficiency metric;   a regenerative braking efficiency metric;   an accessory power efficiency metric; or   a cruise control efficiency metric.   
     
     
         13 . A method for providing energy-efficiency coaching, comprising:
 receiving operator behavior data corresponding to operator behaviors performed throughout a drive cycle of a vehicle that impact the vehicle's energy efficiency;   evaluating the operator behavior data at a first interval of the drive cycle based on a set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by an operator of the vehicle;   calculating a first set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the first interval based on identified behaviors of interest;   determining a first set of tunable variables for the set of efficiency metrics;   applying the first set of tunable variables and a set of weighting constants to the first set of metric sub-scores to generate a first set of weighted metric sub-scores for the first interval;   calculating a first performance score for the first interval based on the first set of weighted metric sub-scores; and   providing a first set of feedback based on the first performance score for the first interval.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein determining the first set of tunable variables comprises:
 receiving additional data comprising at least one of:
 vehicle specification data; or 
 environmental data; 
   evaluating the specification data or environmental data for features of interest; and   calculating each tunable variable in the first set of tunable variables based on identified features of interest.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 evaluating the operator behavior data at a second interval of the drive cycle based on the set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by the operator of the vehicle in response to providing the first set of feedback;   calculating a second set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the second interval based on identified behaviors of interest;   comparing the second set of metric sub-scores to the first set of metric sub-scores; and   adjusting one or more tunable variables in the first set of tunable variables to generate a second set of tunable variables.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 applying the second set of tunable variables and the set of weighting constants to the second set of metric sub-scores to generate a second set of weighted metric sub-scores for the second interval;   calculating a second performance score for the second interval based on the second set of weighted metric sub-scores; and   providing a second set of feedback based on the second performance score for the second interval.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 calculating a normalized drive-cycle performance score for the drive cycle based on the first performance score and the second performance score; and   providing the normalized drive-cycle performance score in at least one of:
 a second set of feedback to the operator; or 
 to an operator reward system. 
   
     
     
         18 . A vehicle, comprising an intelligent energy-efficiency coach, comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   a memory including instructions, which when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the intelligent energy-efficiency coach to perform operations comprising:
 receiving operator behavior data corresponding to operator behaviors performed throughout a drive cycle of a vehicle that impact the vehicle's energy efficiency; 
 evaluating the operator behavior data at a first interval of the drive cycle based on a set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by an operator of the vehicle; 
 calculating a first set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the first interval based on identified behaviors of interest; 
 determining a first set of tunable variables for the set of efficiency metrics; 
 applying the first set of tunable variables and a set of weighting constants to the first set of metric sub-scores to generate a first set of weighted metric sub-scores for the first interval; 
 calculating a first performance score for the first interval based on the first set of weighted metric sub-scores; and 
 providing a first set of feedback to the operator including the first performance score for the first interval. 
   
     
     
         19 . The vehicle of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining the first set of tunable variables comprises:   receiving additional data comprising at least one of:
 vehicle specification data; or 
 environmental data; 
   evaluating the specification data or environmental data for features of interest;   calculating each tunable variable in the first set of tunable variables based on identified features of interest;   evaluating the operator behavior data at a second interval of the drive cycle based on the set of efficiency metrics to identify behaviors of interest performed by the operator of the vehicle in response to providing the first set of feedback;   calculating a second set of metric sub-scores for the set of efficiency metrics for the second interval based on identified behaviors of interest;   comparing the second set of metric sub-scores to the first set of metric sub-scores;   adjusting one or more tunable variables in the first set of tunable variables to generate a second set of tunable variables;   applying the second set of tunable variables and the set of weighting constants to the second set of metric sub-scores to generate a second set of weighted metric sub-scores for the second interval;   calculating a second performance score for the second interval based on the second set of weighted metric sub-scores; and   providing a second set of feedback to the operator based on the second performance score for the second interval.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicle of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 calculating a normalized drive-cycle performance score for the drive cycle based on the first performance score and the second performance score; and   providing the normalized drive-cycle performance score in at least one of:
 a second set of feedback to the operator; or 
 to an operator reward system.